The Viscount Who Loved Me

The Viscount Who Loved Me is the second installment in Julia Quinn’s series about the Bridgerton family. The novels are set in Regency-era London, England, and each entry in the series follows a Bridgerton sibling’s romantic journey. The Viscount Who Loved Me focuses on Anthony Bridgerton, the eldest son and Viscount, as he finally decides to leave his bachelor days behind and declare his intentions to marry.

The novel was recently adapted as the second season of Netflix’s Bridgerton series. The adaptation diverges from Quinn’s novel in a significant way through its reimagining of the Sheffields as the Sharmas, and in doing so, the series created an opportunity for South Asian characters to be portrayed as romantic leads, working to deconstruct common television stereotypes of persons from India and Asia.

This study guide uses the 2021 Avon Romance paperback edition of the novel, which includes the second epilogue. Readers should note that the second epilogues of all Bridgerton novels are only included in editions published after 2019.

Content warning: This guide includes references to childhood trauma, the death of parents, violence, and descriptions of anxiety, panic attacks, and night terrors.

Plot Summary

The novel opens with a flashback to Anthony Bridgerton’s childhood. He grew up in a loving family and felt especially close to his father, Edmund. When Edmund died suddenly as the result of an allergic reaction to a bee sting, Anthony inherited the title of Viscount at the age of 18, and he was so profoundly affected by his father’s untimely death that he became convinced he would never surpass such a great man—even in terms of years lived.

In the present, Kate and Edwina Sheffield prepare for the first social events of the London season. Kate has read about Anthony Bridgerton in recent issues of Lady Whistledown’s gossip sheet, and she is convinced the Viscount is an irredeemable Rake. Edwina is excited to make a match on the “Marriage Mart,” while Kate is convinced that she will grow old as a spinster. Edwina thinks highly of Kate’s opinion, declaring publicly that she cannot marry anyone her sister does not approve of first. Since then, Edwina’s potential suitors try to win over Kate in the hopes that she will give them her permission. Meanwhile, Anthony decides it is time for him to settle down and start a family, even if he will not live long enough to raise his children himself. He tells his brothers, Benedict and Colin, that he will pursue a courtship with Edwina Sheffield, since she is best available option for marriage. Kate is nervous that the Viscount’s Rakish ways will not change, and he will be a bad husband for Edwina. Colin introduces Kate and Anthony, and they immediately do not get along.

The day after the ball, Anthony visits Kate’s house in the hopes of seeing Edwina. Since she is not present, Anthony and Kate talk for a while before being joined by Mary, Kate’s stepmother and Edwina’s mother, and Newton, Kate’s corgi. Mary suggests they take Newton for a walk, and as Kate and Anthony lead Newton through the park, Newton pulls free of Kate’s grip and runs away. They give chase but cannot catch Newton before he sees Edwina in the park and jumps on her, knocking her backward into the lake. Edwina catches a cold from her time in the water, and so Kate and Mary attend a musicale at the Bridgerton House without her. Kate watches Anthony flirt with a hired opera singer, and she feels jealous. Unbeknownst to her, Anthony had a sexual dream about Kate the night before the musicale, and he flirts with the singer to distract himself from his confused feelings. When the musicale is over, several members of the ton are rude to Kate, and she ducks into another room to hide. The room turns out to be Anthony’s private study, and when Kate hears Anthony and Maria about to enter the room, she hides beneath the desk. Kate overhears their conversation, and Anthony sees her hiding. When Maria leaves, Anthony confronts Kate, and during their argument, he kisses her.

Days later, at the Bridgertons’ country home, Anthony watches guests arrive for a party his mother, Violet, is hosting. Anthony finds Kate in the gardens, and he apologizes for his behavior. Kate thinks he means he regrets their kiss, and she feels hurt, though she does not show it. Anthony is tempted to kiss Kate again, but before he can make any moves, Colin finds them and announces a group of guests is getting ready to play Pall Mall. Anthony and Kate join Colin and Edwina on the field, as well as Daphne, Anthony’s sister, and Simon, her husband, the Duke of Hastings. That night, neither Kate nor Anthony can sleep because they cannot stop thinking about each other. Kate goes to the library, hoping to find something to read that will calm her mind. While she searches for a book, a thunderstorm rolls in and she becomes overwhelmed, hiding under a table. Anthony sees a candle lit in the library, and upon investigating, he finds Kate in her hiding place, in the middle of a panic attack. Anthony helps calm her, and when the storm is over, they return to their rooms separately.

The next day, Anthony seeks Kate out and finds her in the garden. Kate hoped for privacy to think about her developing relationship with Anthony and is surprised he seems to care for her. During their conversation, Kate is stung on her collarbone by a bee. Anthony is terrified she will die like Edmund did, so he tries to suck the bee’s venom out of her chest. At that moment, Violet, Mary, and Mrs. Featherington catch them together unchaperoned, in a compromising position. Due to the likelihood that Mrs. Featherington will gossip, and Kate will be ruined, they agree that Anthony and Kate will be married within a week. Edwina is unsurprised by the news of their engagement, as she felt it was obvious how smitten Anthony was with Kate from the beginning. Shortly before the wedding, Anthony tells Kate that while their marriage is based on respect, friendship, and mutual understanding, they will never be in love. Kate says she understands, but privately, she is hurt by his declaration because she has already started falling in love with Anthony. On their wedding night, Kate is hesitant to have sex with him, and Anthony asks her what he can do to make things right between them. Kate asks him to love her, and the two have sex for the first time. Anthony worries he might fall in love with Kate if he lets himself.

Shortly into their marriage, Anthony attempts to avoid falling in love with Kate by pretending his schedule is busy to avoid her. Edwina visits them with news that she is falling for a man she met at the Aubrey Hall party; Anthony offers to fund Edwina’s dowry. That night, a storm begins. Kate has a nightmare and calls out for her birth mother in her sleep. Anthony tries to calm Kate, and in the morning, she has no recollection of her nightmare. Anthony suggests they talk to Mary about what happened to Kate’s mother. They visit Mary, who reveals that Kate witnessed her mother’s painful death from a lung illness, and that she died during a storm. Now that she understands her past, Kate begins to heal and overcomes her fear of storms. Anthony is happy for her, but also jealous that he has not yet done the same.

When Kate talks about growing old together, Anthony panics and leaves the house. Anthony talks to Benedict and Colin about his predicament, and Colin tells him to just tell Kate he loves her. Anthony realizes that even if he dies young, his life ought to be filled with happiness and love no matter how short it is. Anthony prepares a horse and rides out in search of Kate’s carriage. He locates it just in time to see the carriage take a turn too fast and flip over. Edwina and Mr. Bagwell are both unharmed, but Anthony is convinced Kate died in the accident, and he tries to move pieces of the wreck with his bare hands. He finds Kate trapped inside, alive but injured. She regains consciousness, and Anthony tells her he loves her. Kate says she will tell him she loves him too as soon as he gets her out of the wreckage. Anthony pulls Kate clear, and they see she has broken her leg.

Back at their townhouse, Anthony hires three doctors to care for Kate’s injury. Once her leg is set and dressed in splints, the doctors leave, and Kate asks Anthony what he meant by “it was not her time yet.” Anthony explains that his father’s death made him convinced he would die young too, and that he was afraid to let himself love Kate because of the pain his death would cause her. Kate understands Anthony’s pain, and she tells him that it is normal to experience fear, but one should not let fear run one’s life forever. Anthony and Kate tell each other that they love each other, and as Anthony sits beside her on their bed, Kate is convinced they will grow old together after all.

The first epilogue shows Anthony’s 39th birthday, making him officially one year older than Edmund ever was. Anthony spent most of the day talking to his father’s portrait in his study, and he realizes that the life he has now is what Edmund wanted for him all along. That evening, Kate and Anthony put on a “dismal” concert in their home, and the Bridgertons all attend the birthday celebrations. As Kate and Anthony prepare for bed, they discuss the latest issue of Lady Whistledown, and Anthony wonders if the author has a spy in their family.

The second epilogue takes place 15 years into Kate and Anthony’s marriage. Every year since they met, the same group has reunited at Aubrey Hall for a commemorative game of Pall Mall. It has become tradition since then for Kate and Anthony to stage elaborate attempts at sabotaging the other, including stealing the lucky “mallet of death” and creating mud puddles on the playing field. This year, however, Colin learned of their plans and stole the mallet of death for himself. Anthony sends Kate’s ball flying into a muddy patch she made with the intention of sabotaging him, and eventually Kate hits Anthony’s ball into the lake once again. The rest of the players leave them behind again, and Kate and Anthony walk back to Aubrey Hall together. They decide the best course of action for next year’s game is to work together to sabotage Colin and prevent him from stealing the mallet of death.